Tuesday, 27 October 2009

As Secret Bases Go, It’s Not Very ‘Tracy Island’, Is It?

‘BNP has secret base!’ screams the headline in the ‘Lancashire Telegraph’, conjuring visions of palm trees slowly folding to the ground and a runway appearing amongst the fast food shops, to launch Nick Griffin skyward at the next election.

Sadly, the truth is a little less exciting than that.

The British National Party has been quietly running an office in Burnley town centre for up to nine years, the Lancashire Telegraph can reveal.

The low-key office, just metres from Burnley town hall, is not mentioned in the far-right party’s literature or on its website - and most residents and even seasoned local politicians were unaware it existed.

Unaware? Or uninterested?

But Lib Dem council leader Gordon Birtwistle said only “very, very few” people were aware of it.

He added: “Outside their membership I would not have thought anyone knew. If they had been open about it, they would not have used a pseudonym and it would be on their leaflets.

“If they want to be taken seriously they should be open so people know if they want to visit them they can do.”

Elaine Heywood, 37, of East Road, said: “It makes you wonder what they have got to hide. They are supposed to be a major political party now, but they are not being open and transparent. You can’t have your cake and eat it.”

Why not, Elaine?

All the other major political parties are more than happy to have their cake and eat it, particularly when it’s been paid for by the taxpayer.

If the BNP had put up a "British National Party" facia over the window and plastered the windows with pictures of One-Eyed Nick and Spitfires, the Lancashire Telegraph would have been telling us it was an "affront" to the vibrantly diverse people of Burnley, a provocation and an incitement which should be closed down.

If the BNP are discreet about what appears to be a support and administrative premises with no public-facing function, then they are being secretive; they have something shameful to hide and should be closed down.

The Government's instructions for a daily flow of shock-horror stories about the BNP is clearly taxing the imaginations of our journalists.

The only impact of this non-story will be to encourage Ketlan and Denise and their posse of Unwashed Unemployables to pop across from Lancaster for a spot of Righteous Intimidation.